When I'm playing open guard, I seem to have answers to most of the things my opponent can do, except when he overhooks my legs. In these cases, my opponent will either try to ankle lock me, or sprawl back to try to straighten out my legs and pass.
In the first case, I can grab his head and/or tricep so I'll end up mounting him if he falls back. But I'm not sure about the latter case.
What can I do to counter these overhooks?
If he overhooks your leg on the thigh, that's your cue to omoplata him. If he overhooks your leg on your shin, grab his arm, kick your leg forward so now he's overhooking your thigh, and omoplata him.
Also if they stand up with the overhook, the counter is usually to spin to the inside so you end up in kind of an outstretched omo-plata. Usually you can grab a leg and sweep them if they hold onto your leg or at the very least you'll get free.
Omoplata all day long. As plata freak, that would be a gift position for me.
Thanks a lot. I must not be aggreesive enough with my omoplatas... Gotta change that.
FreestyleJJ. I'm not sure if I follow you. At first I thought you were talking about trying to rotate your overhooked leg's knee between his legs, like you wanted to kneebar him, but then I re-read it and I'm not sure.
Interestingly, this form of resistance from the guy on top seems to be the only form of resistance that forces the bottom player to use his arms in addition to his legs. For example, if the top guy UNDERHOOKS a leg, the bottom guy can just hook that foot under a knee to counter the underhook. And he can rotate his legs to counter various types of leg grabs and pushes. Am I correct?
(I then wonder how Rickson is able to defeat people with his open guard without using his arms?)
if a guy overhooks while kneeling, i push through and close guard again while pulling on the head and arm, or omoplata. if he does it while standing, i just kick the grip off, or let him overhook and make a butterfly hook with my other leg in preparation to counter if he sits back. if he is going to ankle lock my left leg, i bring my right foot over to his stomach area where his right hand would be and kick forward with my right leg while pulling with my left.
ttt
"FreestyleJJ. I'm not sure if I follow you. At first I thought you were talking about trying to rotate your overhooked leg's knee between his legs, like you wanted to kneebar him, but then I re-read it and I'm not sure. "
Yeah, you mis-read the first time. I'll see if I can explain it better. Say they have your left ankle overhooked and they stand up. You spin your entire body to the inside, so your head goes by their right leg and to the outside of them like you would be in an omoplata, only your legs won't be reaching deep enough to actually omo-plata. The weird position you will be in can off balance them if they continue to hold onto your ankle. You can sweep them if they do by grabbing their leg and just pushing forward with your hips. If they let go, you still got out of the ankle lock.
This is used to counter the standing achilles lock or if someone stands up with the leg wrapped, so they're probally going for a leg lock.
So basically, you can't counter a leg overhook without using your arms?
Let me add my two cents, as well. If the guy is actually able to get fasr
enough into the pass that he is smashing your legs together with his
arms, and trying to move to the side, sit up. Then push his head
downwards to loosen his grip on your legs. You should be able to push
his grip further and further down your legs. Once his grip is past your
knees, regaining an open guard should be fairly straightforward.
Greg
Again, you had to use your arms. Not that there is anything wrong with it. I prefer the butterfly guard to the "both feet on hips guard" myself, but I'm just pointing this fact out.
Yeah, you'll probably have to use your arms. He's used his arms to take
your legs away, so your arms are what's left to you.
Greg